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Ares
"I have taught you many ways to kill a mortal, Kratos. Flesh that burns, bones that break... But to break a man's spirit is to truly destroy him!" - Ares Greek Mythology In Greek mythology, Ares (Άρης) was the god of warfare and bloodlust. He was the son of Zeus and Hera, as well as the half brother of Athena, goddess of strategic warfare. Ares was a distrustful god among all Greeks, for his unpredictable nature usually resulted in violence. Ares had a quadriga drawn by four gold-bridled, fire-breathing, immortal stallions. Among the gods, Ares was recognized by his bronze armor; he also brandished a spear in battle. His keen and sacred birds were the barn owl, woodpecker, the eagle owl, and the vulture. Ares was known to have had a romance with Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. Their union created the minor gods Harmonia, Eros, Phobos, and Deimos. While Harmonia and Eros' godly stations favored their goodly mother, Phobos and Deimos by far preferred to emulate their father, often accompanying him to war. In the God of War Series ''God of War'' Alliance with Kratos Before his servitude to Ares, Kratos was a brave captain in the Spartan army. However, during the battle with the Barbarians, his army was massacred and he himself faced death at the hands of the Barbarian King. It was then that he called upon Ares, the god of war, to destroy his enemies in exchange for his life and servitude. Seeing the potential of a god in Kratos, Ares descended from the sky and destroyed the Barbarians, and granted Kratos the gift of the Blades of Chaos. During his service to Ares, Kratos killed countless lives with his Spartan companions, conquering most of Greece. Ares, determined to make Kratos the perfect warrior, led Kratos to attack a village built in honor and worship towards Athena. The Spartan soldiers ruthlessly killed all who lived in the village, burning their homes to the ground in the process. Upon reaching a strange temple, Kratos was warned by the Village Oracle not to venture within its walls. Ignoring the old woman, Kratos, blinded by bloodlust, killed all who were within the walls of the temple, including his wife and child. Ares appeared before the bloodstained hands of the great warrior, telling Kratos that it was necessary to have his family eliminated so nothing stood in his way. The ashes of his loved ones were gathered by the Village Oracle as she placed them upon Kratos’ skin as a permanent reminder of the monster he had become – the Ghost of Sparta. Enraged by Ares' deception, Kratos declared vengeance upon the god who once saved his life, and served Olympus for 10 years, hoping to redeem himself and be forgiven of his sins. Quest for Pandora's Box Out of his utter hatred and jealousy for Athena, Ares lay siege to her city Athens. The monsters he awoke from the Underworld to form his army slaughtered thousands of Athenians. The god of war knew little that his former powerful mortal ally, the Ghost of Sparta, was actually in Athens at the time of his assault. Kratos was guided by Athena herself, who demanded that Ares be destroyed by using an ancient power – Pandora’s Box. With this power, Kratos would be given the strength to finally defeat the one who caused his pain and suffering for many years. During the final moments of the destruction of Athens, Ares realized Kratos had been successful in retrieving Pandora’s Box. With this knowledge, he grasped a large stone pillar from the crumbles of Athens’ city walls and threw it far into the Desert of Lost Souls, where it would pierce Kratos through his chest and into the walls of Pandora’s Temple. Believing Kratos was dead and sent to the Underworld forever, Ares claimed Pandora’s Box. Athens was destroyed. Ares looked to the skies and called out to Zeus, asking the king of the gods if he now saw what his son was capable of doing. Zeus’ favor was cast onto Athena, but her city now lay in ruin before the god of war. Ares even admired the fact that he held Pandora’s Box, willing to use it against Olympus itself. His attempt to send Kratos to the Underworld was unsuccessful, however, as the warrior stood before him. Ares then laughed and asked if this was the best Zeus could do; sending a broken mortal to defeat him, the god of war. It seemed all power rested in his hands, until he looked to see he was holding Pandora’s Box no longer. Kratos, using his power granted by Zeus, detached the box from Ares’ hands and opened it after thousands of years. The gods’ power was unleashed, and Kratos felt its magic pour into him. His strength now matched Ares, and the ultimate battle for power began. Ares claimed Kratos was still just a mortal, every bit as weak as the day he was called upon to destroy the Barbarians. Kratos recalled that he was not the same man Ares found that day – the monster Ares created had returned, to kill him. Showing Kratos what a true monster really was, Ares demonstrated his ferocity by unleashing large spikes from his back, ready to finally kill Kratos for good. After an epic battle between both god and man, Kratos gained the upper hand during the fight and destroyed Ares. The god of war fell to the Aegean Sea, defeated at the hands of the mortal he helped many years ago. Kratos became the new god of war, and was given Ares’ throne within the walls of Olympus. Although Ares was destroyed, his spirit lived on in a chamber guarded by Kratos himself within the throne room. Powers and Abilities While the full extent of his godly abilities are unknown, Ares as a god was immortal but could be killed by either the power of Pandora's Box or the Blade of Olympus. He was able to kill the Barbarians with ease by clapping his hands together, causing the men to burst into flames, be lifted into the air, snapped in half, as well as other brutal methods. He also had the ability to reclaim the Blades of Chaos and control them by means of telekinesis, while tormenting Kratos' mind. Ares also had the power of teleportation, launching fireballs, and the ability to materialize various weapons such as a gigantic war hammer, a fiery axe, and a fiery sword. This power, as well having six blade-like protrusions appear out from his back, made Ares an incredibly formidable foe. Related Pages *Gods *Ares' Warhammer *Ares' Axe *Ares' Blade *God of War (God) Gallery Image:Ares.jpg|Concept artwork for Ares in God of War. Image:Ares_3.jpg|Detailed image of Ares depicted in God of War. Image:Ares4.jpg|Cut-scene image of Ares' confrontation with Kratos in God of War. Category:Characters Category:God of War 1 Characters Category:Deities Category:Immortals Category:Relatives of Zeus Category:Gods of Olympus Category:Deceased characters Category:Enemies Category:Bosses Category:God of War 1 Bosses Category:God of War